Do You Need to Retain a Criminal Defense Attorney for a DUI Arrest in Tampa?
Being arrested for a DUI in Florida could result in a criminal record and your driver’s license being suspected. A conviction can also result in significant fines. If your DUI resulted in an accident and injuries to another person, you could be facing even more severe penalties. The best way to handle a DUI arrest in Florida is to retain an experienced Tampa DUI attorney.
You Must Take a DUI Arrest Seriously
You must take an arrest for a DUI seriously in Florida. Don’t listen to anyone who says just to let it go or that you don’t need an attorney. Depending on your circumstances, DUI matters can be complicated. The law continues to evolve, and that means there could be new rules and statutes in place. You want to retain an attorney who has experience handling DUI matters and stays abreast of all the statutory changes.
Don’t make a mistake and assume that hiring a DUI defense lawyer is too expensive either. Retaining the right attorney can save you money in the long run, not to mention it may save you from a criminal conviction.
Your Driver’s License Can be Suspended with No Conviction
There are multiple ways your driver’s license might be suspended, even if you haven’t been convicted of a DUI. If you refuse to submit to a blood, breath, or urine test, your license could be suspended for up two a year for the first offense. If you refused a test previously and had a prior license suspension, it will be 18 months. If your results come back at 0.08% or above, you will be facing a license suspension of six months for your first offense. Those with a prior suspension will be suspended for one year. These suspensions become effective on the day of the arrest.
You might be wondering how your license can be suspended before a criminal conviction. The Department of Motor Vehicles grants you a driver’s license as a privilege. It’s not a right. Therefore, the DMV can withdraw that privilege if you give them legal grounds to do so. You can request a hearing to challenge the suspension, but it must be requested within ten days of your arrest. That is why retaining a Tampa DUI immediately following your arrest is so important.
Long Term DUI Consequences
Even a misdemeanor criminal conviction has long term consequences that you need to be aware of. You could have a challenging time finding employment in the years that follow. Many employers conduct background checks, and applications ask if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime. If you want to do a job that requires any driving, a prior DUI could make you ineligible.
You could also have difficulty finding a place to live as rental agencies conduct background checks and inquire about your criminal history. Some might be willing to accept an explanation, but don’t rely on that.
Contact a Tampa DUI Defense Lawyer
If you have been arrested for a DUI, don’t leave your case to chance. You may have several defenses available that could help you beat a criminal conviction. However, if you don’t retain an attorney, the outcome will be entirely different. Contact Faulkner Law Group, PLLC, today to schedule an initial consultation and learn how we can defend you in a Florida DUI matter.
https://www.faulknerlawgroup.com/how-a-dui-can-affect-your-florida-drivers-license/
